The Kansas City Chiefs are scoring more points than at this point last season, allowing fewer, and have improved their turnover margin.

Those are usually ingredients for success, but that’s not the case for the three-time defending AFC champions, who have four fewer wins compared with this point last season and currently are outside of playoff position.

How has that happened?

It’s as simple as looking at how they’ve fared in close games. Kansas City is 0-5 in games decided by eight points or fewer after coming into the season on an NFL-record 17-game winning streak in those situations.

Nothing illustrates the difference more than comparing the first game against Denver in each of the last two seasons. The Chiefs escaped at home with a 16-14 win in Week 10 last season when Wil Lut

See Full Page